U.S. Senator Joe Donnelly says he supports an extension of a grant program that helps law enforcement.
The Bulletproof Vest Partnership Grant Program Reauthorization Act was proposed for extension through 2020. It’s managed through the Department of Justice. The grant helps state and local police forces purchase the vests to improve safety.
The program has been helping local police forces purchase bulletproof vests since 1999 through matching funds. Donnelly says officers can face dangerous situations while working, but the vests can prevent serious injuries and even save lives.
To date, 13-thousand agencies around the country have been helped to purchase the bulletproof vests. In Indiana, about $482-thousand has been distributed through the grant program to local agencies.
The City of Plymouth’s Police Department was among fund recipients for 2014. 108 communities were helped last year in the state.
The bill was introduced in the United States Senate at the end of March.
